Smiling at Graduation
by EnigmaticPseudonym
Summary: Sometimes, it only takes brittle bone disease, determination, and some romance to bring out the best in you and beat the odds. Flgt. Lt. Jeff "Joker" Moreau wouldn't have it any other way. "One guess who was smiling at graduation!" M for Language.
1. A Not So Lonely Christmas

Smiling at Graduation

By EnigmaticPseudonym

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Chapter 1- A Not So Lonely Christmas

"…_I basically grew up on the Arcturus station, back when they were building up the fleets…"- Joker_

Jeffrey Moreau sat on a wooden bench facing the sealed docking port in front of him. A ticket sat on his palm.

"**Dec. 25, 2175; 00:00 Arcturus Time**

**From Arcturus Central Station**

**To Elysium, Skyllian Verge**"

His eyes were closed and his head was resting against the wall as he collected final memories of Arcturus Station—his home.

He dwelled on the scent of paint and smoke that had flowed through the recycled air of the station. His ears picked up nostalgic sounds from the rumbling machinery and construction that echoed throughout Central Station. His skin sensed the drying tears of his loving mother from a few minutes ago. These would be the last memories that he would ever have of Arcturus, and he savored them.

Though, it wasn't as if he didn't have plenty of memories from Arcturus; living on the orbiting hunk of scrap metal for all of his 18 years made sure of that. It was because most of them weren't very pleasant.

Jeff was just a typical kid growing up on an extra-terra human colony—other than the fact that he had been born with Vrolik's Syndrome. His mom had been extremely protective of him as a child. He was forbidden to play sports, or take part in strenuous activities. As a child he had hated his mother for that—but as an adult he respected her for protecting him. To make up for his condition, his mom had programmed a flight simulator for him from scratch. Being a medium-level civilian contractor for the Alliance, Allison Moreau worked with a team of designers and built fighter craft for the Fleet. She took her simulation software, tweaked it, and developed a simple flight/space combat simulator. His new 'toy' and his constant trips with Allison to the local branch of Lockheed-Martin's R-and-D labs developed a strong love for flying within Jeff. Sometimes he would even get the privilege of test flying his mom's designs on a flight simulator. The time he spent with his mom provided the boy relief from his rough daily life.

He never played sports or tag, so he had been labeled a loner through Pre-K, kindergarten, and elementary; the loner who would rather read about aircraft than play soccer or basketball. They would call him 'Cripple,' 'Freak,' or 'Brace-Kid;' not very unique names, but they stung all the same. In fact he rarely interacted with other people, except for one girl who would say hello and talk to him for a few minutes every morning. She was the only one who had talked to him throughout all of his school years, even through clique-ruled high school. When others would steal his crutches or shove him into lockers, she was the only person who treated him as human. She walked with him to school (well, she walked, he hobbled), ate with him at least twice a week during lunch, and was just plain nice to him. What was her name again?

'_Grace Benner.'_

'_Jeff…'_

'_Yeah, and her voice sounded like that.'_

"Jeff…"

'_Huh, sounds pretty close.'_

"JEFF!"

His eyes shot wide open. His muscles tensed. "I don't have cash! Take your quarter-back assoutahere." He slurred the last few words in his sentence in embarrassment. "Ahem… Uh-oh… Sorry about that Grace. Just had my mind elsewhere." Grace towered over his sitting body. The light from the fluorescent bulb behind her seemed to accent her flowing brown hair and soft cheeks, and brightened her chocolate-brown eyes. _'Wow, you look good in this light,'_ he thought.

She grinned and sat down beside him. "Mind still floating around in space? Same old Jeff two months after graduation." She cradled the duffel bag she was holding.

He allowed a tiny smile to show on his lips. "Same old Grace, still scaring the living daylights out of me. For a second there, I thought I saw a Halloween witch." He grinned ever so slightly, but devilishly.

"Shut up!" She dropped her jaw in mock surprise and playfully swatted him on the arm.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said after chuckling softly for a few seconds.

She breathed deeply and lay back. "So… what are you doing here all alone at 12:30 in the morning on Christmas Day?"

He turned to face her, half of his face hidden underneath the shadow of his cap's visor. "Better yet, what's the Student Body President doing with a loser like me?"

"Two answers. One, the Valedictorian is not a loser. Two, this is the only way off of Arcturus until the holiday season is over—which is in about two weeks. Now back to my question."

"I'm leaving for Elysium."

"Really? I didn't know Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, or Airbus had branches there."

"They have branches everywhere, but I'm not looking for an R-and-D job. I want to join the Alliance Navy. My mom worked on ships, and growing up around them made me want to be a pilot. Judging by that piece of paper in your hand, you're going to be Navy too?" He eyed the green enlistment form she held on to.

"Yeah, I guess my dad's job as a foreman at the Dry-Docks got me thinking about the Alliance. I guess I want to learn how to fly."

A puzzled look appeared on Jeff's face. "You told me you were going into politics. You know, to represent the Human Race in the Council?"

"I'm not going to be in the Alliance the whole time, Jeff."

"That figures, you deserve better."

Grace blushed at the compliment. "Thanks Jeff."

"No problem," he replied coolly.

"_The final Alliance shuttle to Elysium has arrived. No other direct Alliance shuttles will be available until two weeks have elapsed. Thank you. To all travelers, Merry Christmas wherever you may go."_

The door in front of them opened with a loud hiss and revealed the interior of the shuttle, which was reminiscent of the interior of a commercial airplane in the early 21st Century. Only two other people were aboard the final Christmas transport. Grace and Jeff chose their seats near the middle of the shuttle; she sat down first while he placed his crutches underneath his chair. The windows provided a beautiful view of their galaxy, unspoiled by the greasy and smoke-stained windows of Arcturus' residential district. In five minutes time, the locks were released and the shuttle proceeded towards the nearest Mass Relay Station.

A few minutes later, they were traveling at faster-than-light speeds towards the other end of the galaxy. The display above the aisle read, _"Estimated Travel Time: 07-0830 Hours. Merry Christmas!"_

Jeff was gazing out the window when he felt a weight on his shoulder—Grace had soundly fallen asleep. He gazed at her for a few seconds and draped his jacket over her torso. She moved a bit to get in a better position under the new-found warmth.

"I'll wake you up when we get there," he whispered. He pulled the visor of his cap down over his eyes and leaned towards the window. He slowly drifted to sleep as the next song played softly in the cabin.

"…_When we finally kiss goodnight,_

_How I'll hate going out in the storm!_

_But if you really hold me tight,_

_All the way home I'll be warm._

_The fire is slowly dying,_

_And, my dear, we're still good-bying,_

_But as long as you love me so,_

_Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow…"_

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To Be Continued…

**Author's Note: **Please Review! Constructive and helpful comments are welcome! Tell me what you think.


	2. From One Brutal Institution into Another

**Chapter 2- From One Brutal Institution into Another  
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"Hey, Jeff!" Grace said. "You coming with?"

"Okay. Sure," Jeff replied absently. His heart raced in his chest and the veins in his head throbbed painfully. He could barely stand still. He stood appalled in the atrium of the Elysium Flight Academy—the most prestigious flight school in Human-controlled space! He was finally about to achieve his childhood dream. His lower jaw was just about to clack against the marble floor when Grace jumped in front of him and released him from his reverie.

Grace laughed and shook her head. "My God, you look like a five year-old in a candy shop!" Jeff's mouth inched sideways in reply.

He stood there for a few more seconds and enjoyed the moment. He was finally standing in the circular reception area of the Academy. In front of him were two glass staircases supported by steel that lined opposite walls. The tiled floor shone in the light and the shuffling of busy feet filled his ears—it was music to him. To his left was the Reception alcove that was built into the wall where Grace had gotten directions not so long ago. As his eyes scanned the busy room, Jeff's eyes slowly gravitated towards the large Alliance emblem hanging in between the two staircases.

It was magnificent. The disc had a 2-meter radius, and on it was carved the Alliance Navy Emblem and the Navy motto written in both English and Latin: Non Sibi Sed Patriae—not self but country.

Grace just smiled as she put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him along. She had never seen him this excited before.

Just a few seconds later, Grace and Jeff had entered the briefing room and settled down near the back. Jeff scanned the large crowd of Navy hopefuls—an anxious group of humans from all over Alliance-controlled space. Every single one of them wanted to become a pilot. "_Only four percent of all Navy personnel are pilots_," Jeff quoted from a library book. "_Damn…_" Grace placed a comforting hand on his arm upon sensing his apprehension. He smiled inwardly—he would never admit it out loud but Grace was his antidote to all the evils of the world. Even a seemingly miniscule action by her could change anything negative that he was feeling. He felt better that she was there with him.

"First off, I'd like to say welcome to the Academy." A man in his late forties with a clean shave, a buzz cut, and a muscular build stood proudly on the stage in front of them. Applause drowned out any other noise in the room for a few seconds. He held up his hand to cut off the cheering and began to pace the length of the stage.

"You should be proud that you were chosen among thousands of applicants. Elysium and the Elysium Flight Academy now constitute your new second home—and it will be until you successfully graduate from this academy." He paused for a second and then continued.

"BUT here's the reality check—we only pass the toughest and brightest applicants this side of the Milky Way! There are two rules that govern daily life here at the Academy: we _do not_ pass failures, and we _do not_ pass mediocrity! You are here to become the best pilots the human race can offer, but _only_ the cream of the crop become is allowed to wear the Gold Elysium Insignia! Upon graduation, the ten Gold awardees will be inducted straight into Admiral Hackett's valorous Fifth Fleet. Make no mistake, even if you do not make Gold status you are still required to graduate to become eligible for any job in the Alliance Navy. Only the hardest of workers and the most diligent of cadets who have proven themselves worthy through dedication and skill ever step foot on this stage during the graduation ceremony. "

The crowd mumbled with excitement, worry, and apprehension. The speaker sipped water from his glass and proceeded.

"Everyday, you will be presented a mountain by your instructors. And everyday you will summit that mountain! This academy thrives on adaptable, intelligent, and strong-willed cadets. For those of you who think it'll be too hard, you can quit right here, right now. Because the moment you step foot in the barracks, Hell will open its gates—and it doesn't give a rat's ass about your personal welfare. In fact, we're here to make sure we grind you into pilots worthy to defend Human Space. You got that?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" the crowd room roared, causing the large room to rock like as if an earthquake of voices was just released on Elysium. The Navy veteran smiled and pointed at the open doors to his right.

"Through there is your possible future in a flight suit and a set of silver wings that'll tell all of mankind that you graduated from Elysium. If you think you're good enough, walk right on through.

"I'm Lieutenant Holsinger—your future Academy Headmaster. Welcome to 'hEL-FA,' boys and girls!"

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The mass of enlisted men and women eagerly flocked to the 'ID and Living Arrangements Office.' As the majority of the room cleared out of the side-entrance Jeff silently unfolded his crutches, completely emotionless. He had overlooked one, simple fact upon taking the virtual simulator, reaction time test, and memory retention test. He only realized it now after he was given the clean bill of health by his doctor and handed in his enlistment form. He hobbled over to the large window overlooking the city.

Olympus was an awesome sight—a beautiful city designed for aesthetics and ease of access. Skyscrapers rose high into the sky, absent of any sharp or hard edges that might disrupt the beauty of the city. All vehicles ran on a combination of electricity and natural sunlight to maintain the quality of living on the planet. An economic port and powerhouse, the city had to appeal to all forms of race participating in any form of trans-galactic legal business. It also had to represent the human race in the best way possible—luxury and security that could rival even the wealthiest nations in Citadel Space. That's why "Hell-fa" was stationed here, along with the Elysium Force Command Academy—"Efsa." It pained Jeff to think he had to leave his only dream behind, along with the skeletons of others he had long discarded.

Grace watched him quietly and carefully, being one of the few who could read Jeff's emotions through his mannerisms. She stood up and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Emotion seemed to jump back into his eyes—some happiness, still overshadowed by whatever was worrying him.

"Hey," she began. "Are you okay?"

He thought of telling her the truth but released a quick "I'm fine" instead.

"Really?" she asked, concern showing in her eyes. "Come on; let's get going. The faster we can get this done, the faster we can rest. I have a really bad feeling that we're going for a run tomorrow."

Jeff couldn't stop himself from cringing as he imagined the possible expulsion he'll have the next day—right after his legs give way and his tibia snaps in half, shattering the rest of his leg. Grace's eyes grew wider than dinner plates—the sudden realization explained everything. She placed her hands over her mouth in surprise and distress.

"Oh my God… Jeff," she said as she stopped on a dime and turned to face him. He looked at her calmly, failing to hide his dejection with a straight face. "Your Vrolik Syndrome. You can't…"

He touched her arm softly. "Don't worry about it," he whispered. "There's no problem. Just another one of those things I can't do. It's happened before, remember? Baseball, gym class, soccer… I'll be…" he sighed. "I'll be fine." He started to walk towards the rear doors. As he walked towards the exit, her mind wandered to the speech that was just said.

"Wait a minute," she said to Jeff, "you don't need to be able to run, do push-ups, or scale walls to pass selection, right?" Jeff stopped and turned around, a glimmer of hope in his eye. Grace continued, "That's right! Lt. Holsinger never said you had to be physically strong to graduate—only mentally!" Grace was grinning from ear to ear.

"Grace, Physical Training is required to graduate! There's no substitute for it."

"Oh come on, Jeff! Let's approach the Lieutenant, ask him if it's possible to give you special consideration. Like, um, an extra course that'll cover for it. A more detailed Technical Course that deals with the craft we'll be flying, for example. Come on Jeff, you aren't gonna leave me alone in 'hellfa' are you?"

Jeff lowered his head and creased his forehead in thought. _Would it be worth it? Troubling Lieutenant Holsinger just so I can get "special" consideration?_ He looked up at Grace's pleading eyes.

"Okay…let's do this. I've been missing out all my life, but not this time. I can't give up; I'm not a loser."

She gave him a tight, but gentle, hug. "Yes! I'll be with you one-hundred percent of the way."

"Thanks, Grace," he said, hugging her back. "You are officially the only reasonable person in this galaxy."

She released him and smiled brightly. "Thanks. Now let's go convince the Lieutenant."

To Be Continued…


End file.
